SP: I was the first author of the unitary taxation of Sin tax but it must be reasonable. It must not be oppressive, confiscatory or destructive like what Sec. Ona wants or the others want. I voted in favor because that is the version of the Senate. That's why you have the bicam because there is no unanimity between the House and the Senate, but I understand that there is an effort to increase the tax of tobacco in order to lighten the tax on alcohol, hindi naman tama 'yon.

On P26 cigarette tax

SP: Sa akin pwede na 'yon because the highest level of tax, if I remember correctly, for premium cigarettes, I think, is P28, so P26 is reasonable if you make everyone pay the same tax compared to the version of the Department of Finance which is P32.

On the alleged efforts to increase tax of tobacco during the bicam meeting

SP: That is what I heard but I cannot reveal the source of my information. I understand that some functionaries in government are toying the idea--maybe due to policy consideration or pressure, I am not talking of Malacañang, Malacañang is out of this issue... of increasing the tax burden of tobacco higher than the burden imposed under the version of the House from P26 to P27 in order to lighten the tax on alcohol. 'Yun ang balita ko. Hindi ko alam kung totoo 'yun or hindi. Ang sinasabi ko lang nabalitaan ko 'yun.

SP: Hindi ako magsasalita. Ang sinasabi ko lang ang nababalitaan ko. Kung totoo man 'yun o hindi, I don't know. I do not know whether what was told to me was true or not. I am just saying that..Huwag naman, kawawa naman mga tobacco farmers namin. I am not protecting any company, mga cigarette companies na 'yan. They can shift to other businesses or close their factories here. But who will absorb these employees if they will close? If they will not continue manufacturing? And yet, we will not be able to stop the entry of cigarettes in the country and Sec. Ona's claim that he can stop smoking will not be true. Until now, there are smuggled cigarettes as I am proving it to you now. In Mindanao there are already smuggled cigarettes there. "Yong pala dito sa Maynila mayroon din at ang kanyang brand ay ito, hindi ako inimbento ito.

On whether he will support the ratification of the Sin tax bill in the bicam

SP: Hindi ko alam. I do not know.

On the early passage of the 2013 budget

SP: Some people say we have become a rubber stamp of Malacañang but that is not true. We discussed it, we debated it, everybody put his or her two-cents worth in the discussion and 'yong mga people who did not get what they wanted are crying, maybe, I do not know, but that is the name of the game. You win some, you lose some. We passed the bill, we scrutinized it and I think that's the level of expenditure that the government would want to do, provided they spend that money then it will enhance the economy of the country

On whether it was first time the budget was approved before December.

SP: Hindi, we have done it many times already. Since I became Senate President and Sen. Drilon became the chair of the Finance Committee. I handled the Finance Committee before I became Senate President so when I became Senate President, Sen. Drilon handled it.

On Suarez's proposal to suspend the implementation of CCT program during election

SP: We have to study that because the CCT program is for the poor and the poor cannot stop eating during election time.

On whether credit for the 7.1% economic growth in the 3rd quarter should be given to the past administration or the present.

SP: May epekto naman 'yong policies na inadopt nang previous administration but it is mainly because of the effort of the current administration. Mind you, the current administration is already in place since July 2010 so magiging 2
-- years na. By June next year, three years na itong administration. So, we have to give credit where credit is due and I think the previous administration began the policy and it was continued by the current administration plus their effort, so, at least now we are reaping the product of two administrations.

Ang Tanong. 'Yong bang growth na 'yan ay nararamdaman ba sa ibaba? 'Yong ang kailangan pag-aralan kung it shifts down to the lowest economic level of the social ladder. Create more jobs, spend more money so that there will be more money in the pockets of the people. And we will lessen the tax burden so that there will be more money left for consumption.

Q: Rep Edcel Lagman said that they will push to vote for RH bill before Christmas break?

SP: Whatever the House does, we will do our own thing.

Q: Sir, Rep. Lagman is also asking the president to certify this bill as urgent?

SP: I cannot answer for the president. The president has the power to certify or not to certify.

On SP's vote on the RH bill

SP: My vote is against the RH bill. Kahit tanggapin yung aking mga proposal, not because of religion and morality, but because of my long term assessment of what this bill does to the country. It is my duty as a leader of this country to vote of what is good for it. I am not saying that I am right but that is my perception. I vote according to my perception.

SP: Just to show them that we are not delaying and we want to refine it.

Q: Papano po pag tinanggap yung proposal niyo?

SP: To tell you the truth, my purpose in pushing for some of my amendments is to show to the people that this bill is not really all for the health of the women. It is a population control and management na naramdaman ko na yun. Hindi ba everytime I touch on population, tumatalon si Sen. Pia Cayetano? Ayaw nila aminin na this is about population control. The real purpose is to contract population of the country. We are talking about fertility rate, too much poverty. We are talking about social development. What is that? Sabihin nyo ang katotohanan. Population control and management yan e. Hindi health bill ng kababaihan lang. Incidental lang yun.

SP: Let's see. Let's wait for the pudding to be cooked. I hope that people will not get surprised. I am not saying this to threaten anybody? What brought about EDSA? Who were the people to bring down an administration? Hindi ba yung panawagan daw ni Cardinal Sin of the faithful to bring down the administration? You have forgotten that event? That should be a food for thought for anybody who says that there is no such thing as a Catholic vote but there is such thing as a Catholic effort.

Q: Marami na naman ang nadaya ng sa pyramid scam do you see the need to strengthen the law regarding this?

Kung talagang seryoso ang Tsina na ang South China Sea ay sila ang may-ari, dapat ipatupad nila na kailangan may visa lahat ng dadaan doon sa South China Sea na sinasabi nila. Nandoon din tayo. Paano 'yon? The fact is even America, Japanese, all kinds of ships pass through that sea. How can they say that that belongs to them? Under what title recognized by other nations? That is their self-serving claim. As far as we are concerned, we do not recognize it.

SP: Bahala na 'yung mga diplomatic experts natin diyan. I do not claim any expertise in international law. Ako, praktikal lang ako when I approach the problem.

On Rep. Jack Enrile

Q: Will you be the campaign manager of your son?

SP: Of course, it's for my son. I don't think a father would abandon his son. I'm not like that. As I told you, I do not decide the fate of my son. It's going to be decided by the people but it's my duty as his father to believe in him and go out and campaign for him. If I do not believe in my son, who else will believe in him? I have faith in the capability of my son, modesty aside. That is why he is my son. I trained him from the time he came into this world.

I will campaign for all the candidates of UNA. I've already planned my own campaign for the candidates of UNA. No offense, nothing personal. We are talking of a country. We're talking of politics and it's important and healthy to have two sides of every political issue so that it can be debated soberly, wisely and expansively so that the people will know and it's up to them to decide. I think in this election, I will campaign for UNA as much, if not more than, I have campaigned when I was running personally for the office because I believe in the direction of UNA. It's not a group of people who will be antagonistic to the presidency. There are at least two sides to every issue in politics. The judge is not anyone of us. The judge will be the people. They're the national jury. They're the source of power for any elective official.

I will also support some people in the Liberal Party, si Chiz at Loren.

On the Ampatuans running under UNA

SP: Alam mo, kung hindi naman sila nasasangkot sa kaso, bakit naman natin paparusahan sila? Kung may kasalanan 'yung tao, parusahan mo but if you have not established a case against the person, do not deny him the right he is entitled to.

On the Philippines' economic growth

SP: Let us accept that figure. Let us move on and see how it will look until the end of the year and beyond. I think it's true naman. Hindi naman siguro iimbentuhin ng administrasyon 'yan. All of us should accept it and thank God that we are growing that high now.

We have to re-examine our policies in order to bring higher level of confidence to outsiders who will do business in the Philippines. We must be sure that our policies are not chameleons that could change anytime.

On the RH Bill

Q: Ang hihingin daw po nila, i-close ang period
of amendments...

SP: That is cloture. Senator (Pia) Cayetano is only one senator. She cannot impose her will on the Senate. If she can get the numbers to cloture the other members, so be it. But I don't think the other senators will do that because that will be a precedent and while they may have the numbers now, the entire political weather might change and it can also be used against them. Kung walang timeline 'yung passage ng CamSur, Anti-Trust, Freedom of Information Bill, bakit may timeline ang passage ng RH?

Q: Sir nafinalize na po ba yung panel ng bicam sa Sin tax?

SP: Oo ang mga members ng bicam panel ay si Senators Drilon as chairman, Lacson , Osmena, Recto, Marcos, Alan Peter Cayetano as minority leader and Pia Cayetano. Pero silang dalawa bumoto for the Senate version of the Sin tax. Ang hindi bumoto ay si Joker and Chiz. If you talk of majority and minority, 15 voted in favor of the Senate version and two voted against it. I was suggesting that one of them should be included but Frank said pag ganun magiging 8. We cannot control the selection of the minority leader of his companion in the minority to represent them in the Senate.

Q: Sir, are you confident na mag-pe-prevail yung Senate version over the House version?